marsh
1 Americannoun
noun
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Dame (Edith) Ngaio 1899–1982, New Zealand writer of detective novels.
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Reginald, 1898–1954, U.S. painter and illustrator.
noun
noun
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Dame ( Edith ) Ngaio (ˈnaɪəʊ). 1899–1981, New Zealand crime writer, living in Britain (from 1928). Her many detective novels include Final Curtain (1947) and Last Ditch (1977)
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Rodney ( William ). born 1947, Australian cricketer: a wicketkeeper, he took 355 dismissals in 96 test matches (1970–84)
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An area of low-lying wetland in which the level of water is generally shallow and often fluctuating. The water may be either standing or slow-moving. The water in a marsh is also more or less neutral or alkaline, in contrast to the water in a bog, which is acidic. The environment of a marsh is in general well-oxygenated and nutrient-rich and allows a great variety of organisms to flourish. In contrast to a swamp, in which there is an abundance of woody plants, the plants in a marsh are mostly herbaceous. Reeds and rushes dominate the vegetation of marshes.
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See also salt marsh
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of marsh
before 900; Middle English mershe, Old English mer ( i ) sc (cognate with German Marsch ). See mere 2, -ish 1; cf. marais, marish, morass
Explanation
A marsh is an area in transition from land to water. It is a very bad idea to go walking in a marsh in your best shoes; try some fishing boots, or perhaps a boat. The word marsh comes from the old Dutch word mere, for sea, and it means land that is sea-ish… not sea, but sea-ish, like most of Holland. Marshes can be found often where a river empties into the sea, or along the side of a low, flooded river. Another word for marsh is swamp. If you’re in trouble or just want to be alone, a marsh is a great place to hide: no one will follow you. Just don’t forget your galoshes.
Vocabulary lists containing marsh
Physical Geography - Introductory
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"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Physical Geography - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"There was a great pressure to restore the area. I think people worried it would stay a muddy mess but soon vegetation started to appear and it became established as a salt marsh," Hester added.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
In no time, I was in unfamiliar territory: The sun rose over spoonbills and egrets standing in shallow water as a lone kayaker navigated fields of marsh grass.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026
Analysing gases in the air flowing around the marsh - over the course of a year - revealed how plants there "breathe in" more carbon dioxide in the summer than they release in winter.
From BBC • May 30, 2025
Other small fossils new to science have also been found at Otago sites this year, including the first dancefly, cranefly, phantom midge and marsh beetle fossils from New Zealand.
From Science Daily • Dec. 2, 2024
I couldn’t believe we’d never seen each other; the marsh was big and wide, but it seemed so unfair that we’d never met before.
From "Root Magic" by Eden Royce
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.